Two months ago, the world was in a different place. Coronavirus is, by far, one of the biggest challenges this generation has faced, and its impacts will last in the years to come. Social distancing and remote work are the only solutions that can help people stay safe. In short, COVID-19 has people staying home, which has altered consumer buying patterns.
So, how should marketers be handling this?
We need to adjust to the new normal! To survive the negative sentiment and economic slowdown: resilience, innovation, agility, and empathy should be marketers’ key tools. As consumers’ lifestyles are adapting to staying at home, marketers must proactively reach out to them where they are.
1. Anticipate Consumer Needs
It is important to identify individual consumer needs and address them accordingly.
2. Leverage Technology
Meeting customer needs has been a challenge, and we must think of the best way to serve our customers the best possible way with limited resources and social distancing constraints. With the help of eCommerce solutions, businesses can fulfill customer needs in a timely manner.
3. Digital World Presence
As people are staying at home, they are spending more time either on streaming platforms, social media, or online shopping. Businesses must be active on their social media and create new strategies for online shopping or in-store pickup
4. Focus on Customer Experience
In worrying times like these, brands must help customers by providing them with the means to cope with the ongoing situation by providing the right information and going beyond to help customers. Being empathetic and prioritizing customer experience will help your brand stand out.
No one can predict what’s next in this global pandemic and when it will end. But, to survive, businesses must adapt to the new normal. We have come up with a COVID-19 Marketing Strategy Checklist to help businesses help transition their marketing strategy according to the current situation.
1. Emails: Keep your customers informed. They must be kept in the loop on your efforts and any vital information they might need, e.g., change in working hours
2. Social Media: This is one of the fastest ways to keep your customers up-to-date with the information they need. This is a great medium to maintain your customer engagement.
3. Paid Media: Running ads dedicated to helpful resources to help your customers would be better than pushing your products and sales at this time. You do not want to make your business come off as opportunistic at a time when people are worried.
4. Event Updates: If you had any business-related events, it was likely postponed or canceled. Send regular email updates, post information to your social media accounts, and update any event listings you have on third-party websites, like Eventbrite.
Leveraging platforms like social media and email marketing can help keep your business in the minds of the customer while providing them with useful information that helps them get through these difficult times.
